Free-space Realization of Tunable Pin-like Optical Vortex Beams

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for generating tunable, long-distance free-space optical vortex beams with pin-like intensity profiles, demonstrating their unique propagation dynamics and potential applications.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach to produce free-space optical vortex beams with adjustable intensity and propagation properties by superimposing specific phase structures.

Findings

Beams exhibit autofocusing and Bessel-like profiles during propagation

Peak intensity can be controlled by amplitude modulation

Numerical analysis reveals unique Poynting vector and radiation force properties

Abstract

We demonstrate, both analytically and experimentally, free-space pin-like optical vortex beams (POVBs).Such angular-momentum-carrying beams feature tunable peak intensity and undergo robust anti-diffracting propagation, realized by judiciously modulating both the amplitude and the phase profile of a standard laser beam. Specifically, they are generated by superimposing a radially-symmetric power-law phase on a helical phase structure, which allows the inclusion of an orbital angular momentum term to the POVBs. During propagation in free-space, these POVBs initially exhibit autofocusing dynamics, and subsequently, their amplitude patterns morph into a high-order Bessel-like profile characterized by a hollow-core and an annular main-lobe with a constant or tunable width during propagation. In contrast with numerous previous endeavors on Bessel beams, our work represents the first demonstration of long-distance free-space generation of optical vortex 'pins', with their peak intensity evolution controlled by the impressed amplitude structure. Both the Poynting vectors and the optical radiation forces associated with these beams are also numerically analyzed, revealing novel properties that may be useful for a wide range of applications.